![Iberia_300BC-en](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Iberia_300BC-en.svg)
The Carpetani (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: ''Karpetanoi'') were one of the
Celtic pre-
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
peoples of the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
(the Roman
Hispania
Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hispania ...
, modern
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
), akin to the
Celtiberians, dwelling in the central part of the ''
meseta'' - the high central upland plain of the Iberian Peninsula.
Location
Since the 5th century BC the Carpetani inhabited the
Toledo and
Alcaraz
Alcaraz is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Albacete, Castilla–La Mancha
Castilla–La Mancha (, , ), or Castile La Mancha, is an autonomous community of Spain. Comprising the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, ...
highland ranges along the middle
Tagus basin
The Tagus Basin is the drainage basin of the Tagus, Tagus River, which flows through the west of the Iberian Peninsula and empties into Lisbon. It covers an area of 78,467 Square kilometre, km2, which is distributed 66% (55,645 Square kilometre, ...
, occupying a territory that stretched from the
Guadarrama
Guadarrama is a town and municipality in the Cuenca del Guadarrama comarca, in the Community of Madrid, Spain.
Its population is 13,032 (winter, according to a 2006 census); the population swells to approximately 60,000 in summer.
Its name co ...
river at the north to the upper ''Anas'' (
Guadiana
The Guadiana River (, also , , ), or Odiana, is an international river defining a long stretch of the Portugal-Spain border, separating Extremadura and Andalusia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). The river's basin extends from the ...
) in the modern provinces of
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
,
Toledo,
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
and
Ciudad Real, an area designated as
Carpetania Carpetania was an ancient region of what is today Spain, located between the Sierra de Guadarrama, the mountains of Toledo, the river Guadiana and the mountain range of Alcaraz, including approximately, the present independent communities of Madrid ...
in the ancient sources. Main
city-state
A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
s (''
Civitates'') in the region were ''Toletum'' (near modern
Toledo; Roman or Celtiberian-type mint: ''Tole''), ''Iplacea''/''Complutum'' (
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares () is a Spanish city in the Community of Madrid. Straddling the Henares River, it is located to the northeast of the centre of Madrid. , it has a population of 193,751, making it the region's third-most populated Municipalities ...
–
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
); Celtiberian-type mint: ''Ikezancom Konbouto''?), ''Titulcia'' (El Cerrón, near modern
Titulcia
Titulcia is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain.
History
Supposedly of Roman origin, Titulcia is situated on the ancient military road from Emerita Augusta and Cesaraugusta (now Zaragoza). With the arrival of the Arabs, the city w ...
–
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
), ''Consabura'' (
Consuegra
Consuegra is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. In 2018, the municipality had a population of 10,098 inhabitants. It is 80 km from Ciudad Real and 60 km from Toledo. Consuegra is located in La M ...
– Toledo), ''Barnacis'' (
Orgaz
Orgaz is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2012 census, the municipality had a population of 2804 inhabitants, but it has since declined.
Burial of the Count of Orgaz
The town has an a ...
– Ciudad Real; Celtiberian-type mint: ''Bornaiscom''), ''Laminium'' (
Argamasilla de Alba or
Alhambra – Ciudad Real) and ''Alce'' (
Campo de Criptana
Campo de Criptana is a municipality and town in the province of Ciudad Real in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha (Spain). It is found in the region known as La Mancha.
History
Historical development
The area surrounding Campo d ...
– Ciudad Real). Towns of lesser importance were ''Aebura'' (
Cuerva
Cuerva is a municipality located in the Toledo (province), province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census (Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain), INE), the municipality has a population of 1421 inhabitants.
Refer ...
– Toledo), ''Metercosa'' (
Madridejos – Toledo), ''Ispinum'' (
Yepes
Yepes is a ''villa'' (town) in the northern region of the province of Toledo, in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain.
Population
*The first numbers about the population of Yepes date back to 1534 and account for some 4000 o ...
– Toledo), ''Miaccum'' (
Casa de Campo
The Casa de Campo (, for Spanish: ''Country House'') is the largest public park in Madrid. It is situated west of central Madrid, Spain. It gets its name 'Country House' because it was once a royal hunting estate, located just west of the Ro ...
– Madrid), ''Mantua'' (
Montiel
Montiel is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Ciudad Real, Castilla–La Mancha. The municipality spans across a total area of 271.22 km2 and, as of 1 January 2020, it has a registered population of 1,294.
History
On 5 March 12 ...
– Guadalajara), ''Thermida'' (
Trillo – Guadalajara), ''Ilarcuris'' (
Horche
Horche is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a give ...
– Guadalajara) and ''Ilurbida'' (
Lorvigo, near
Talavera de la Reina
Talavera de la Reina () is a city and municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Its population of 83,303 makes it the second most populated municipality of the province of Toledo and the fourth largest in the ...
– Toledo).
The exact location of the remaining Carpetanian towns is either uncertain or unknown, this is true in the cases of ''Dipo'' (near Toledo?), ''Libora'', ''Varada'', ''Caracca'' or ''Characa'', ''Rigusa'', ''Paterniana'', and ''Alternia''.
Origins
The origins of the Carpetani are obscure though their ruling elite certainly had
Celtiberian and
Gallic-
Belgae
The Belgae () were a large confederation of tribes living in northern Gaul, between the English Channel, the west bank of the Rhine, and the northern bank of the river Seine, from at least the third century BC. They were discussed in depth by Ju ...
elements, whose ancestors arrived to the Peninsula in the wake of the Celtic migration at the 4th century BC; the rest of the population was clearly
Indo-European
The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Dutc ...
and very mixed, including people of native Ibero-
Tartessian and
Indo-Aryan affiliation. Recent analysis of local epigraphic sources revealed that the Carpetani comprised some twenty-seven tribes, namely the
Aelariques,
Aeturiques,
Arquioci,
Acualiques,
Bocouriques,
Canbarici,
Contucianci,
Dagencii,
Doviliques,
Duitiques,
Duniques,
Elguismiques,
Langioci,
Longeidoci,
Maganiques,
Malugeniques,
Manuciques,
Maureici,
Mesici,
Metturici,
Moenicci,
Obisodiques,
Pilonicori,
Solici,
Tirtaliques,
Uloques, and
Venatioques.
Culture
In archeological terms, it is now believed that they stemmed from both the transitional Late
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
/early
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
‘Campiñas de Madrid’ farmers’ and the ‘
Cogotas I’ cultural groups.
Only a few Carpetanian towns appear to have issued their own currency, modelled after Roman patterns copied directly or adapted via Celtiberian coinage. In the 2nd century BC, Iplacea/Complutum and Barnacis struck coins with their names marked in
Celtiberian script, whilst later Toletum struck theirs bearing its name in
Latin script
The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae, in southern Italy ...
.
History
By the later part of the 3rd century BC, the Carpetani had evolved into a sort of federation or loose tribal confederacy whose nominal capital was set at ''Toletum'', with several centres of power in the main towns ruled by petty kings (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''Reguli''). Some of these Rulers appear to have risen to prominence in the early 2nd century BC – one king
Hilernus led a coalition of Carpetani,
Vaccaei
The Vaccaei or Vaccei were a pre-Roman Celtic people of Spain, who inhabited the sedimentary plains of the central Duero valley, in the Meseta Central of northern Hispania (specifically in Castile and León). Their capital was ''Intercatia'' in P ...
,
Vettones
The Vettones (Greek: ''Ouettones'') were a pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula of possibly Celtic ethnicity.
Origins
Lujan (2007) concludes that some of the names of the Vettones show clearly western Hispano-Celtic features. Reissued i ...
and
Celtiberians against
consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...
Marcus Fulvius near Toletum in 193 BC, but he was defeated in battle and captured; another ''Regulus'',
Thurrus, ruler of Alce signed a treaty with
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus in 179 BC.
Prior to the
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...
, they opposed Carthaginian expansion in central Spain, but in 220 BC
Hannibal defeated a combined force of
Vaccaei
The Vaccaei or Vaccei were a pre-Roman Celtic people of Spain, who inhabited the sedimentary plains of the central Duero valley, in the Meseta Central of northern Hispania (specifically in Castile and León). Their capital was ''Intercatia'' in P ...
,
Olcades The Olcades were an ancient stock-raising pre- Roman people from Hispania, who lived to the west of the Turboletae in the southeastern fringe of the Iberian system mountains.
Origins
Related to both the Celtiberians and Carpetani, the Olcades ...
and Carpetani at the
battle on the Tagus, thus completing his conquest of Hispania south of the
Ebro
, name_etymology =
, image = Zaragoza shel.JPG
, image_size =
, image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza
, map = SpainEbroBasin.png
, map_size =
, map_caption = The Ebro ...
with the exception of
Saguntum
Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain, located in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community. It belongs to the modern fertile ''comarca'' of Camp de Morvedre. It is located c. 30 km north of the city of Valencia, cl ...
.
They also provided mercenary troops to the Carthaginian armies, for
Frontinus
Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. 40 – 103 AD) was a prominent Roman civil engineer, author, soldier and senator of the late 1st century AD. He was a successful general under Domitian, commanding forces in Roman Britain, and on the Rhine and Danube ...
mentions the desertion of 3,000 Carpetani warriors from Hannibal’s army when he entered in Italy after crossing the Alps.
During the
Sertorian War
The Sertorian War was a civil war fought from 80 to 72 BC between a faction of Roman rebels ( Sertorians) and the government in Rome ( Sullans). The war was fought on the Iberian Peninsula (called ''Hispania'' by the Romans) and was one of the ...
s, the Carpetani remained loyal to Rome, whilst their perpetual rivals and enemies the
Vettones
The Vettones (Greek: ''Ouettones'') were a pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula of possibly Celtic ethnicity.
Origins
Lujan (2007) concludes that some of the names of the Vettones show clearly western Hispano-Celtic features. Reissued i ...
and
Celtiberians sided with
Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Sertorius (c. 126 – 73 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who led a large-scale rebellion against the Roman Senate on the Iberian peninsula. He had been a prominent member of the populist faction of Cinna and Marius. During the l ...
.
[Matyszak, ''Sertorius and the struggle for Spain'' (2013), p. 79.]
See also
*
Carpetania Carpetania was an ancient region of what is today Spain, located between the Sierra de Guadarrama, the mountains of Toledo, the river Guadiana and the mountain range of Alcaraz, including approximately, the present independent communities of Madrid ...
*
Celtiberians
*
Celtiberian script
*
Vettones
The Vettones (Greek: ''Ouettones'') were a pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula of possibly Celtic ethnicity.
Origins
Lujan (2007) concludes that some of the names of the Vettones show clearly western Hispano-Celtic features. Reissued i ...
*
Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
This is a list of the pre- Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula (the Roman Hispania, i. e., modern Portugal, Spain and Andorra). Some closely fit the concept of a people, ethnic group or tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of t ...
Notes
Bibliography
* Ángel Montenegro ''et alii'', ''Historia de España 2 - colonizaciones y formación de los pueblos prerromanos (1200-218 a.C)'', Editorial Gredos, Madrid (1989)
* Francisco Burillo Mozota, ''Los Celtíberos - etnias y estados'', Crítica, Barcelona (1998, revised edition 2007)
*Harry Morrison Hine, ''Hannibal's Battle on the Tagus (Polybius 3.14 and Livy 21.5)'', Latomus: revue d'études latines, Société d'Études Latines de Bruxelles 38 (4), Bruxelles (1979)
* João Ferreira do Amaral, ''Os Filhos de Caim e Portugal - povos e migrações no II milénio a.C.'', Quetzal Editores, Lisbon (2004)
* Juan Pereira Siesto (coord.), ''Prehistoria y Protohistoria de la Meseta Sur (Castilla-La Mancha)'', Biblioteca Añil n.º 31, ALMUD, Ediciones de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real (2007)
* Julián Hurtado Aguña, ''Las gentilidades presentes en los testimonios epigráficos procedentes de la Meseta meridional'', Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueología: BSAA, Tomo 69-70, (2003-2004) pp. 185–206. - http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=1404299
*
*Philip Matyszak, ''Sertorius and the struggle for Spain'', Pen & Sword Military, Barnsley (2013)
Further reading
*Daniel Varga, ''The Roman Wars in Spain: The Military Confrontation with Guerrilla Warfare'', Pen & Sword Military, Barnsley (2015)
*Ludwig Heinrich Dyck, ''The Roman Barbarian Wars: The Era of Roman Conquest'', Author Solutions (2011) ISBNs 1426981821, 9781426981821
External links
Jesús R. Álvarez-Sanchís, "Oppida and Celtic society in western Spain,"in ''e-Celtoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies'', Vol. 6 (''The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula'')
*http://www.celtiberia.net
{{Pre-Roman peoples in Spain
Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
Celtic tribes of the Iberian Peninsula
Ancient peoples of Spain